Apparatus for feeding material



1944. D. E. KERR-LAWSQN 2,359,367

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL Filed Nov. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 1 1 $71 oe-rn or D. E, Kerr-Lawson Oct. 3, 1944.

D. E. KERR-LAWSON v APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL v Filed Nov. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL Douglas E. Kerr-Lawson, Swastika, Ontario,

Canada Application November 6, 1941, Serial N 0. 418,060

7 Claims. (01. 222-70) This invention relates to apparatus for feeding material and more particularly to such apparatus for feeding fuel to jacket-heaters and my object is to provide apparatus of this character which is simple in construction and cheap to manufacture and operate, yet it is durable and efiicient.

The invention is fully described and illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 a side elevation of a slightly modified form of my invention;

Fig. 4-. an end view thereof; and

Fig. 5 a plan view thereof.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I is a supporting frame comprising a plurality of upwardly extending posts 2, which may be made from angle-iron, secured to a base 3 and to a top ring 4. At one side of the frame, a. plurality of anti-friction rollers 5 are journalled in bearings 6 carried by adjacent posts 2. Preferably the uppermost roller of said rollers 5 is larger in diameter than the other rollers thereof, and said larger roller forms the lower marginal edge of the outlet I.

A receptacle 8, slidably mounted in the frame, is provided with small sheaves 24 for running on the edges of the angle-iron posts 2. The receptacle has a flexible wall 9, which may be made of fabric, pliable metal or pivotally connected rigid links, secured only along its lower edge to the receptacle. This wall contacts the rollers 5 to prevent it from bulging outwardly when the receptacle has material therein. The free upper end of the flexible wall 9 is drawn by a weight In over the uppermost roller 5 to maintain the wall taut. The weight I may equal the weight of the receptacle so that it also serves as a counter-weight therefor. The receptacle in Figs. 1 and 2 is rectangular in cross-section and has three other walls II and an end member l2, each of which may be formed of sheet metal or other suitable material for carrying coal, or other material, and the aforesaid sheaves 24.

To the end member I2 is secured one end of a cable I3 which is passed around two pulleys I4, I and has its other end secured to the top ring 4. Preferably two sets of cables and pulleys" are employed, one at each side of the receptacle 8, and the pulleys I4 are carried by the ring 4. To the axes of the pulleys I5 are connected the upper ends of springs I6 which have their lower ends suitably secured to the base 3. The arrangement of the pulleys and the tension of the springs are such that there is a slight differential pressure (over the weight of the contents of the receptacle) which tends to move the receptacle upwardly in the frame.

As the receptacle 8 rises, the weight of its contents decreases and the tension of the springs I6 also decreases whereby the differential pressure remains substantially constant and the receptacle will continue to rise until its contents are discharged through the outlet I. To regulate the upward speed of the receptacle and thus the rate of discharge of the material through the outlet, a clock mechanism Il of the weight operated type may be employed. Such type of clock mechanism has a sprocket I I over which passes a chain I8 having a weight I8 on one end thereof. The other end of the chain is connected by a cable I8 with the end member I2 of the receptacle. The cable is guided around suitable pulleys so that as the receptacle ascends the weight ascends and the sprocket Il is rotated to pay out the chain I8. Thus the weight Ill will be positioned to keep the chain and cable taut when the receptacle is returned to its position for a fresh load. The rate of speed of the sprocket I1 and thus the rate of feed of material may be varied by adjusting the bob I9: on the pendulum 20 of the clock mechanism,

A treadle-operated winch 2|, having a usuali ratchet wheel and pawl 22, is connected by a. cable 23 with the receptacle 8 for returning it. to its initial re-loading position against the tension of the springs I6. The treadle 21 is pivoted on the shaft 2I of the winch drum 2| and is provided with any suitable means for picking the ratchet wheel to Wind the cable 23 on: the drum. The pawl 22 engages the ratchet. wheel to prevent rotation thereof in the opposite direction during the intermittent return movement of the receptacle 8. The pawl 22 retains the receptacle in said initial position until it is filled whereby the clock I1 is relieved from the tension of the unbalanced springs I6, as illustrated in Fig. 2. I

When the pawl 22 is released from engagement with the ratchet wheel, the receptacle 8 is moved upwardly in the frame I, as hereinbefore described, and the wall 8 passes over the marginal edge of the outlet I. Fuel discharged through the outlet may be guided by a chute 25 to the inlet of a water jacket heater 25 The inlet is provided with a self-closing door 26 adapted to be opened by the fuel fed to the inlet.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the frame I is trough shaped and is arranged substantially horizontally with the rollers 5 forming the bottom of the trough. The sides are flared outwardly and are provided with rollers 5 which extend beyond the bottom rollers 5 to form therewith an outlet 1 having sides. The fuel receptacle 8 comprises an end member l2 and flexible walls 9 9 The end member l2 has outwardly flared sides so that its edges correspond to the trough formed by the rollers 5 5 Each of said walls has one end secured to an edge of the member l2 and contacts the adjacent set of rollers. The free outer endof the bottom wall 9 passes around the large outermost roller of the set of rollers 5 and is provided with a cord 21 which is suitably guided and attached to a drum 28. The free outer ends of the side walls 9 are also passed around the large outermost rollers of the. sets of rollers at opposite sides of the frame. Cords 29 attached to the. free ends of the walls 9 are suitably guided andattached to the drum 23. By rotating the latter, the walls of the receptacle are drawn over the rollers and around the end rollers whereby said walls are moved from inside the rollers to the outside thereof as the end member l2 reaches the outlet 7*.

It will be noted'that the weight of the receptacle and its contents is carried by the anti-friction rollers 5 5 whereby the loaded receptacle may be moved with a minimum of force. A clock mechanism 30, suitably carried by the frame 1*, is provided with a driven spindle 30% which projects from the face or back of the clock casing. The drum 28 has a driving connection with said spindle whereby the drum, is rotated thereby, tov

cause the end member 2 to be moved towards the outlet 1*. By shifting the end member 2 in the opposite direction, the cords 21 and 29 are unwound from the drum to cause the spindle to be rotated in a reverse direction of rotation to wind the clock mechanism. The latter also in-. cludes a pendulum 20*? having a bob IS adjust-..

able thereon for regulating the rate of speed of the spindle 30 and thus the rate of feed of material.

With this form, the outlet i may be arranged directly over the inlet of the jacket heater 25 What I claim as my invention is:

1. Apparatus for feeding material comprising a supporting frame provided with a side comprising a plurality of rollers; an outlet insaid side,

one of the rollers forming a marginal edge-of said. outlet; a receptacle for the material movable in.

said frame to and from said outlet, the receptacle having a plurality of walls and an end member secured to the walls, one of the Walls being flex.- ible and having one end passing over the said marginal edge; means carried by the frame and.

connected with the receptaclefor moving it to discharge its contentsthrough the outlet; and clock speed regulating mechanismco-operating with the meansfor moving the receptacle to vary the rate of discharge of the receptacle.

2. Apparatus for feeding material comprising a vertical supporting frame provided with an outlet having a marginal edge; a. receptaclefor the. material vertically movable in said frame towards. and away from the outlet, the receptacle being provided with an end member and a plurality of walls secured to the end member, one of said walls being flexible and having one end passing over the marginal edge of said outlet; means connected with the flexible wall for maintaining said flexible material taut; and means including a spring and connections for connecting the receptacle and the frame to provide a differential pressure over the weight of the receptacle and its contents for moving the receptacle in the frame to discharge its contents through the outlet, the connections being so arranged that the differential pressure is maintained and the rate of movement of the receptacle is substantially constant as the contents decrease.

3. Apparatus for feeding material comprising a vertical supporting frame provided with an outlet having a marginal edge; a receptacle for the material vertically movable in said frame towards and away from said outlet, the receptacle being provided with an end member and a plurality of walls secured to the end member, one of said walls being flexible and having one end passing over the marginal edge of said outlet; means for maintaining said flexible wall taut; means in-. cluding a spring connecting the receptacle and the frame for moving the receptacle upwardly in the frame and for maintaining the rate of movement of the receptacle substantiall constant as the load decreases; and means for controlling the. force imparted by the spring to vary the upward speed of the receptacle and thus the rate of discharge of the material through the outlet.

4. Apparatus for feeding material comprising a vertical supporting frame provided with an out- .let having a marginal edge; a receptacle for the material vertically movable in said frame towards and away from said outlet, the receptacle being provided with an end member and a plurality of walls secured to the end member, one of said walls being flexible and having one end passing over the marginal edge of saidoutlet; means for maintaining said flexible wall taut; means including a spring connecting the receptacle and the frame for moving the receptacle upwardly inthe frame and for maintaining the rate of movement of the receptacle substantially constant as the load decreases; force imparted by the spring to vary the upward speed of the receptacle and thus the rate of discharge of the fuel through the outlet; and means.v

for moving the empty receptacle downwardly in the frame, for tensioning the spring, and forreleasably, holding the spring inoperative.

5. Apparatus for feeding material comprising.

tions being so arranged that as the load decreases. the rate of movement remains substantially con-.

stant.

6. Apparatus for feeding material comprising. a vertical supporting frame provided with an outlet having. a marginal edge; a receptacle for the material. verticallyv movable in said frame towards and away from said outlet, the receptacle being provided with an end member anda plumeans for controllingv the.

rality of walls secured to the end member, one of said walls being flexible and having one end passing over the marginal edge of said outlet; means for maintaining said flexible wall taut; means including a spring connecting the receptacle and the frame for moving the receptacle upwardly in the frame and for maintaining the rate of movement of the receptacle substantially constant as the load decreases; clock mechanism having a pendulum; and an adjustable bob on said pendulum for varying the speed of the flexible wall over said marginal edge of the outlet.

'7. Apparatus for feeding material comprising a supporting frame provided with a side comprising a plurality of rollers; an outlet in said side, one of the rollers forming a marginal edge of said outlet; a receptacle for the material movable in said frame to and from said outlet, the receptacle having a plurality of walls and an end member secured to the walls, one of the walls being flexible and having one end passing over the said marginal edge; a cable connected with the frame and the receptacle, the cable having a loop intermediate its end; a spring connected with the frame and having a sliding connection with the loop to provide a differential pressure over the weight of the receptacle and its contents for moving the receptacle to discharge its contents through the outlet, the loop being moved with the receptacle to decrease the pressure of the spring in accordance with the decrease of the contents of the receptacle.

DOUGLAS E. KERR-LAWSON. 

